Anti-Hazing1

1. Anti-Hazing Education Plan
Stetson University

2. Hazing is a hot topic across the nation, and most
colleges and universities are taking aggressive
steps to educate university communities to
prevent harm of any kind to their Faculty, Staff
and Students. The anti-hazing education plan
will assist in keeping the Stetson University
Community safe and well.

3. Statement on Hazing
Because Stetson University values the equality of all
people, recognizing its responsibility to protect
human dignity and promote positive personal
growth, hazing is strictly prohibited by any member
of the university community. Stetson defines hazing
as an act that threatens the mental, physical,
academic health, or safety of a student through
actions or situations that endanger, embarrass,
harass, demean or ridicule any person regardless of
locations, intent or consent of participants.

4. Florida State Law - Hazing
(1) As used in this section, "hazing" means any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical
health or safety of a student for purposes including, but not limited to, initiation or admission into or affiliation with any
organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution. "hazing" includes, but is not limited to, pressuring or
coercing the student into violating state or federal law, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding,
exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance, or other forced physical activity that
could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the student, and also includes any activity that would subject the student to
extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct that could result in extreme
embarrassment, or other forced activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the student. hazing does not
include customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions or any activity or conduct that furthers a legal and
legitimate objective.
(2) A person commits hazing, a third degree felony, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, when he or she
intentionally or recklessly commits any act of hazing as defined in subsection (1) upon another person who is a member of or an
applicant to any type of student organization and the hazing results in serious bodily injury or death of such other person.
(3) A person commits hazing, a first degree misdemeanor, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, when he or she
intentionally or recklessly commits any act of hazing as defined in subsection (1) upon another person who is a member of or an
applicant to any type of student organization and the hazing creates a substantial risk of physical injury or death to such other
person.
(4) As a condition of any sentence imposed pursuant to subsection (2) or subsection (3), the court shall order the defendant to
attend and complete a 4-hour hazing education course and may also impose a condition of drug or alcohol probation.
(5) It is not a defense to a charge of hazing that:
(a) The consent of the victim had been obtained;
(b) The conduct or activity that resulted in the death or injury of a person was not part of an official organizational event or was
not otherwise sanctioned or approved by the organization; or
(c) The conduct or activity that resulted in death or injury of the person was not done as a condition of membership to an
organization.

5. Florida State Law – Hazing
(6) This section shall not be construed to preclude prosecution for a more general offense resulting from the same criminal
transaction or episode.
(7) Public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions whose students receive state student financial assistance must
adopt a written anti-hazing policy and under such policy must adopt rules prohibiting students or other persons associated with
any student organization from engaging in hazing.
(8) Public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions must provide a program for the enforcement of such rules and
must adopt appropriate penalties for violations of such rules, to be administered by the person at the institution responsible for
the sanctioning of such organizations.
(a) Such penalties at community colleges and state universities may include the imposition of fines; the withholding of diplomas
or transcripts pending compliance with the rules or pending payment of fines; and the imposition of probation, suspension, or
dismissal.
(b) In the case of an organization at a community college or state university that authorizes hazing in blatant disregard of such
rules, penalties may also include rescission of permission for that organization to operate on campus property or to otherwise
operate under the sanction of the institution.
(c) All penalties imposed under the authority of this subsection shall be in addition to any penalty imposed for violation of any of
the criminal laws of this state or for violation of any other rule of the institution to which the violator may be subject.
(9) Rules adopted pursuant hereto shall apply to acts conducted on or off campus whenever such acts are deemed to constitute
hazing.
(10) Upon approval of the anti-hazing policy of a community college or state university and of the rules and penalties adopted
pursuant thereto, the institution shall provide a copy of such policy, rules, and penalties to each student enrolled in that
institution and shall require the inclusion of such policy, rules, and penalties in the bylaws of every organization operating under
the sanction of the institution

6. Stetson University’s Values
• Stetson values the development of the whole person committed to engaging and building life-
long connections with the larger world through Personal Growth, Intellectual Development and
Global Citizenship. To that end, the University fosters policies, practices, and modes of inquiry to
support and explore these values areas.
Personal Growth encompasses the understanding that no single formula defines the journey to
personal success, but that passion, the drive to increase self-knowledge, and the quest for balance
are important tools in this process. Intercultural competence, religious and spiritual exploration,
self-awareness, and wellness are components of personal growth.
•
• Intellectual Development is a commitment from the University and from students to achieve
excellence in academics, to foster the spirit of exploration that drives an engaged and active mind,
to cultivate rigorous methods of academic inquiry and integrity, and to value creativity and
professionalism.
•
Global Citizenship is an important part of Stetson’s mission to prepare students to be informed,
active, and engaged citizens of both local communities and the world. Global citizenship includes
University and individual commitments to community engagement, diversity and inclusion,
environmental responsibility, and social justice.

7. Myths and Facts
• Hazing is a plague in our society. Incidents are on the rise – particularly among younger and
younger kids committing increasingly more violent acts. Take a look at some statistics:
• 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year; 47% of students came to college already
having experienced hazing.
• 55% of college students involved in clubs, teams and organizations experience hazing.
• Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation, and sexual acts are hazing practices
common across all types of student groups.
• 40% of athletes who reported being involved in hazing behaviors report that a coach or advisor was
aware of the activity; 22% report that the coach was involved.
• 2 in 5 students say they are aware of hazing taking place on their campus. More than 1 in 5 report
that they witnessed hazing personally.
• In 95% of cases where students identified their experience as hazing, they did not report the events
to campus officials.
• Nine out of ten students who have experienced hazing behavior in college do not consider
themselves to have been hazed.
• 36% of students say they would not report hazing primarily because "there's no one to tell," and
27% feel that adults won't handle it right.
• As of February 12, 2010, the number of recorded hazing/pledging/rushing-related deaths in
fraternities and sororities stands at 96 – 90 males and 6 females.
• 82% of deaths from hazing involve alcohol.
Data cited from the national study Hazing in View: Students at Risk conducted by Elizabeth Allan,
Ph.D. and Mary Madden, Ph.D. from the University of Maine. The full report of both the pilot and
complete national study are available at: http://www.hazingstudy.org/

8. Ask yourself…
Make the following inquiries of each activity to determine whether or not
it is hazing.
– Is alcohol involved?
– Will active/current members of the group refuse to participate with the
new members and do exactly what they're being asked to do?
– Does the activity risk emotional or physical abuse?
– Is there risk of injury or a question of safety?
– Do you have any reservation describing the activity to your parents, to
a professor or University official?
– Would you object to the activity being photographed for the school
newspaper or filmed by the local TV news crew?
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," the activity is
probably hazing.

9. Alternatives
Some organizations find it challenging to create activities and practices not centralized around
hazing activities. Here is a list of alternative activities that you could easily implement within any
organization that aligns with its central values.
FOSTER UNITY: Have the members of your group/organization work together on a community
service project. Visit a ropes course to work on group cohesiveness, communication and
leadership skills. In fraternities and sororities with chapter houses, the group might work
together on a chapter room improvement project. Another option for fostering unity without
hazing is for the members to work together to plan a social or athletic event with another group.
DEVELOP PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES: Have pledges discuss chapter weaknesses such as poor
rush, apathy, and poor scholarship, and plan solutions that the active chapter might then adopt.
DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS: Encourage participation in school/campus activities outside of the
organization. Encourage new members to get involved in organizational committees and/or
leadership roles. Develop a peer mentor program within your group for leadership roles. Invite
school/community/business leaders into the organization to share their experiences.

10. Alternatives
INSTILL A SENSE OF MEMBERSHIP: Plan special events when the entire chapter gets together to
attend a movie, play, or church service. Plan a "membership circle" when actives and pledges
participate in a candlelight service in which each person has a chance to express what
membership means to them.
PROMOTE SCHOLARSHIP: Take advantage of your school/college/ university academic and
tutoring services. Designate study hours for members of your organization. Invite
college/university or community experts to discuss test-taking skills, study methods, time
management etc.
BUILD AWARENESS OF CHAPTER HISTORY: Invite an older member to talk about the chapter's
early days, its founding, special chapter traditions, and prominent former members.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE GREEK SYSTEM: Invite leaders of IFC, Panhellenic, PanHellenic, and/or
Advisers to speak on Greek governance including their goals and expectations of the Greek
system.

11. Alternatives
AID CAREER GOALS: Use college resources for seminars on resume writing, job interview skills; various
careers.
INVOLVE PLEDGES IN THE COMMUNITY: Get involved with campus and community service projects.
Plan fund-raisers for local charitable organizations.
IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH OTHER GREEKS: Encourage new members to plan social or service projects
with other pledge classes; work together to plan joint social or service activities.

12. Confidential Reporting
Stetson University encourages all faculty, staff, and
students to report all criminal incidents, threats,
serious injuries, property loss, accidents, safety
hazards, etc., to the Office of Public Safety. To
report a crime or emergency, call Public Safety 386-
822-7300. Trained dispatchers and officers are
available 24 hours a day to respond to emergency
calls. In the event of an immediate threat, danger,
injury, or crime in progress, dial 911 for assistance
from DeLand police, fire, or emergency medical
personnel.

13. Consequences
The media is full of stories reporting one of the worst possible consequences of hazing: death. While
death is a horrendous possible outcome, there are far more examples of less severe but still life altering
consequences. One study has shown that 71% of those who are hazed suffer from negative
consequences. These consequences may include:
• Physical, emotional, and/or mental instability
• Sleep deprivation
• Loss of sense of control and empowerment
• Decline in grades and coursework
• Relationships with friends, significant others, and family suffer
• Post-traumatic stress syndrome
• Loss of respect for and interest in being part of the organization
• Erosion of trust within the group members
• Illness or hospitalization with additional effects on family and friends
• Those who are leading or participating in the hazing may unintentionally trigger the memory of a
traumatic event in the victim’s past that could result in devastating consequences.
Someone who has been hazed is more likely to haze others in the future.

14. Community Standard Consequences
• Disciplinary Action, which can include suspension or expulsion
• Loss of Organizational Recognition
• Athletic team suspension
• State and Local Legal Action
• Arrest

15. National Hazing Prevention Week
• National Hazing Prevention Week is in September.
• Stetson’s student organization, Greeks Advocating Mature Management of
Alcohol, also known as GAMMA will be sponsoring this year’s National
Hazing Prevention Week initiatives.
– Monday, September 24, 2012
• Movie in the Stetson room with a discussion following, led by the Assistant Dean of
Students, Rosalie Carpenter.
• Tabling in front of the Stetson CUB where you can sign a pledge against hazing, pick up
informational pamphlets, and buttons to wear supporting anti-hazing.
– Tuesday, September 25, 2012
• Tabling in front of the Stetson CUB where you can sign a pledge against hazing, pick up
informational pamphlets, and buttons to wear supporting anti-hazing.
– Wednesday, September 26, 2012
• Brown Bag Lunch Discussion on Hazing Prevention with Vice President Kandus and Nate
Burke, Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Involvement in the CUB Faculty Lounge
from 12:00pm-1:00pm
– Thursday, September 27, 2012
• Tabling in front of the Stetson CUB where you can sign a pledge against hazing, pick up
informational pamphlets, and buttons to wear supporting anti-hazing.